Through Love Comes Healing
by Of Quirky Excellence
Summary: Alistair/Tabris. Alistair has a brush with death and a certain elf must journey into the Fade to save him. Loghain catches up with our heroes, and it's kill or be killed. Leliana/mystery man to be revealed later!
1. Battles and Such

**The Land of Dreams**

**Chapter 1**

**OfQuirkyExcellence**

**A/N: My first attempt at a Dragon Age fic so be nice. Set in Origins, pre-Redcliffe but post mage-tower and Lothering**

**Here goes nothing!**

"**There's no end to them!" Leliana cried, slaying a hideous Genlock . Two more Emissary Hurlock dove towards her and Kallian rushed in to help her drive back the swarming Darkspawn.**

**Sten swung his great sword furiously, taking out three more Genlocks where they stood. The Qunari was exhausted. It had been a long day. They were camped out between Lake Calenhad and Redcliffe Castle, but they were far from camp now at Sulcher's Pass, after helping find a travelling merchant's mule.**

**Alistair groaned as he slew a Hurlock Archer. Enemy advances had stopped for now, or so it seemed, and Morrigan had finished off the last of the mini horde, an alpha Hurlock.**

**Feeling safe, Kallian and Leliana sheathed their weapons and joined up with Menace, Sten and Alistair. Morrigan brushed her raven-black hair out of her face and sighed, heading towards the others.**

"**Well, that was quite bothersome wasn't it?" she said, coldly. The fatigue of battle was even evident in her normally strong voice.**

**Kallian groaned. "You can say that again. Look!" she glanced down at the tough cloth between her shoulder and elbow guards. It was town and a tiny drop of blood trickled down her arm as if an arrow had just grazed it.**

**Leliana shuddered. "Thank the Maker it didn't Lodge itself."**

**Kallie nodded, quivering at the thought.**

**Just as the exhausted party had almost regained their breath, there was a loud crash behind them. Menace began snarling, hackles raised, the war dog barked ferociously and took off, towards the way he and his companions had come before.**

"**Hey, where are you going, Nace?" Kallian questioned, worried they may have to fight again. The hound took no notice of his elven mistress. He did not slow down for a moment as he rushed towards the bushes, growling louder and louder.**

**Just as the hound neared a large area of bush and trees, there was a monstrous roar, and the entire party stopped dead in their tracks. Looks like their work wasn't done yet.**


	2. Brush with Death

Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, it's been forever! And btw, in my stories, you will often see more than four party members at a time. That's just me. They all need to be in the party for it to work.**

Just as the furious hound neared a large boulder surrounded by an area of bush, there was a pounding sound and out of the bush rose a gigantic, monstrous ogre.

"Maker's breath!" Leliana shrieked when she saw the huge creature.

It roared, and the normally fearless Mabari snarled angrily, accepting the challenge. The beast lowered its massive head and charged.

Kallian jumped back in an attempt to avoid being hit and though she lost her balance and had the wind knocked out of her for a moment it was better than being impaled by the beast's massive horns.

She looked around for her companions. She saw everyone else rising to their feet, all except Alistair. Where was he?  
>Kallian found out soon enough. The beast took a deep breath and bellowed, answering Kallie's question as she turned around to see a horrendous sight. The monster had Alistair!<p>

Kallie cried out, trying to get the ogre's attention, to do anything to get Alistair away from it.

When this obvious fit of frustration and terror did not work, she mustered her courage and stamina, or what remained of it, and charged the beast while Leliana swept her dual swords and Morrigan, in the form of a giant spider, tangled its feet with an almost impenetrable web. Sten got too close to the ogre's arms and the arm not holding Alistair punched him, and the Qunari went flying to the grass about twenty feet away, the wind knocked out of him.

Menace clung to the beast's thigh, drawing blood with his razor sharp teeth and strong jaws. Kallie used the Mabari as sort of a step stool and she bounced up off his back and her blade lodged itself in the monster's abdomen. It let out a furious roar and was distracted for a moment.

"Not him! Not him! Fight _me, _you soulless bastard!" Kallian cried. Leliana was knocked back by one of the creature's now free legs, and Morrigan stopped casting spells for fear of hitting Kaliie or Alistair.

Then, with Kallie refusing to let go of the sword embedded in the ogre's flesh, it raised its arm and threw Alistair. He flew about forty feet, and landed roughly in the dirt nearby, unmoving.

"Alistair!" Kallie screamed, pulling the sword down so it tore the creature's flesh.

In the form of a bereskarn,, Morrigan had shredded the creature's foot into a gory mass and Kallian, with a death grip on her sword, still planted deeply in its belly, struck the ogre four times in the chest with her shield. It was Sten who struck the final blow to the ogre, having regained his breath from being knocked over. Bravely, the Qunari warrior plunged his great sword into the beast's side, causing it to thrash and bellow, and then it fell, dying, to the ground.

Kallie still clung to the sword in the dead ogre's belly, unaware that it was over.

Leliana, who was alright save for some bruises and minor scrapes, was at Kallian's side in no more than a moment. "Come on, Kallie. Get up. It's over, the ogre is dead."

Kallie looked up at her friend, a questioning look on her face. "What of Alistair?" she said, holding back tears. Leliana reached down to help Kallie up. Kallie pulled the sword out of the ogre, using the last of her physical strength.

"We must go and see." Leliana answered.

Kallie frowned, angry that Leliana came to her first. "You didn't go to him first? I'm fine, but he could be dead!" With this, she sprinted ahead of Leliana and threw herself down at Alistair's side. She felt for a pulse, but could get nothing because of his splint mail gauntlets. She gently ran her finger down his neck, sighing with relief as she got a pulse there. Despite her feeling a pulse, Alistair showed no other signs of life. The right side of his head was bruised badly. His arm lay in twisted in the most horrific way, and Kallian had no doubt it was broken. She wanted to cry out to the Maker, to beg this not to happen, to go back in time a few minutes and have it be her instead, but her prayer soon turned into sobbing. Leliana and Morrigan had caught up with her by now.

"This could be bad, something tells me. How I wonder why this hasn't happened sooner." Morrigan said half-heartedly as she and Leliana knelt next to Kallian at his side.

Kallian's face turned blood red, and she looked Morrigan square in the eyes. "How _dare_ you? You are a heartless shrew, Morrigan. Don't you _EVER _speak of Alistair in such a way again!" Kallie snarled, if an elf can snarl that is what it would have sounded like for certain.

Morrigan got the message quickly and her smirk disappeared into a solemn expression.

"It looks pretty bad, Kallie." Leliana said, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Wynne is likely the only one who can heal him."

"Well then," said Morrigan, haughtily. Kallie glared at her. If one could kill just by looking, who knows what would have occurred. Morrigan said no more.

"Camp's so far away!" Kallie said, turning back to Leliana. "And can he wait that long?"

"Sten could carry him, if he does not object," said Morrigan, attempting pathetically to be helpful. The Qunari spoke up.

"I will if I must, Warden."  
>Kallie nodded. "Hopefully we can get home quickly. If anyone can help, it's Wynne.<p>

**A/N: For the next chapter, there will be a separate story for this, but Wynne is blind due to an incident with a blood mage. It originates in a drawing I made for this fic, where I messed up on her eyes. So, yeah, long story short.**


	3. Into the Fade

Through Love Comes Healing Chapter 3

**A/N: A hint to the end of the story, an unrecruitable NPC joins the party. Every chapter I will add a new hint. Sorry for taking so long to update!**

Sten, not without reprimand from Kallie to be more gentle, slung Alistair's lifeless body over his massive shoulders as if he weighed nothing. Then they began the remainder of the journey back to camp at a good pace, with Menace out in front to warn the party of any danger he might come across. Finally, after a while, as Sten finally began to grow weary of carrying the smaller man, Menace let out an attentive bark, though he did not appear to have detected a threat.

"Who is it, Menace?" Kallie called to the Mabari. Morrigan, true to her antisocial nature, out in front by herself, answered for the dog.

" 'Tis a travelling merchant, one might think. And may I suggest we flag them down? They may be of assistance." said the dark haired mage.

Kallie nodded hopefully and sprinted ahead, her faithful Mabari at her heel.

"Ho there! We've a wounded comrade and beg your assistance!" She shouted over the sound of the cart's wheels turning and the startled bray of the oxen. The driver reined them in to a halt, and they waited, pawing rather impatiently at the dirt path.

"Kallian Tabris? Is that you?" said the driver, a middle aged dwarf. "Of course! You saved us once, we owe you!"

"Thank you, Bodhan. I am most grateful." Kallie said, quite out of breath.

"Now, I know nothing of medicine, but I'd be more than obliged to give you and your friends a lift back to your camp. Wynne was quite worried, you know." He replied.

The other, younger dwarf spoke up now. "She's really nice." said the younger dwarf. He had blond curly hair and no beard. This was Sandal, and he was known for his superb skills in enchantment.

"Sandal, can you move the boxes over in the back? There should be room." said Bodhan.

Sandal disappeared behind a few boxes without a word, moving them over, and allowing room for at least five people on the cart.

And so the exhausted Warden and her companions piled into the cart, Alistair lying lifelessly in the middle of them, with the exception of Sten, who insisted on walking, and Menace, who jogged cheerfully next to the oxen, who were oddly calm when he was around. About an hour passed before they reached the clearing that was their camp. Wynne's startled voice called out.

"Who's there? Kallian? I was worried sick." She said.

"Yes." Kallie said. "Alistair is badly wounded, we must get him to a bed quickly."

Zevran approached the circle surrounding Alistair, all Kallian's companions, save for Morrigan and Sten, who couldn't be bothered, and asked, "So what happened anyway? This is not what normal darkspawn do….is it?"

Kallie looked up from Alistair's face, and frowned. "Have you _never_ fought an ogre?"

"Oh. I see." He said.

Kallie then turned to Sten, who stood just outside the circle. She nodded to him. "Will you help get him to a bedroll please?"

The Qunari nodded, and he lifted Alistair carefully to avoid Kallie's scolding, and carried him to his tent, where he placed him on his cot. Alistair lay there, not moving for a few minutes and then he began to toss and turn, though he seemed unable to wake up. Leliana and Wynne rushed in with some herbs and bandages, followed by an untouched but dutiful Morrigan and a nervous, whimpering Menace, who was anything but what his name implied at the moment.

"Take his armor off. I cannot see the damage but I may be able to feel it. Broken ribs, you thought?" Wynne said. She spoke the truth, as a blood mage had blinded her during a fight in the Circle's corridors weeks ago.  
>Leliana nodded, and sighed sadly. "I just hope he pulls through. The way that thing grabbed him, you'd think he'd be dead." <p>

"Why hasn't he awoken yet?" asked Kallie, nervously.

Wynne shrugged. "He may be in the Fade."

Kallie shuddered. She remembered the last time they had ventured into the Fade.

Kallie slowly unbuckled Alistair's shoulder and chest-plates, placing them on the ground next to the bedroll. The chestplate and one shoulder guard of his splint mail armor was destroyed, but that was the least of Kallie's concern. Tears threatened escape from her eyes as she looked into the face of her fellow Grey Warden, thinking of how it could be her lying there.

When his armor was off and he wore only his brown trousers and a white tunic, Kallie took a step back and allowed Wynne to take an examination. Blind though she was, she was still the best healer Kallie had ever met, and that counted for something.

Wynne gently ran her hand down his ribcage, gasping when she got about halfway down. "Oh my."

Kallie pressured her. "What? What is it, Wynne? What's wrong?"

"Leliana, you were right. Three ribs are broken." She said. "I feel blood on my hand from his right shoulder as well."

Leliana nodded. "There is what looks like a shallow flesh wound there. I can stop the bleeding and bandage it up."

"Good, Leliana. Do as I would have if I wasn't…blind." Wynne hinted that she didn't want to talk about it anymore, and Leliana tried to smile.

"I will, Wynne. Thank you."

"What can I do? When will he wake up? Kallian asked, nervously. Wynne felt around in her pack until she pulled out a clean cloth and some bandages.  
>"Zevran, go and fetch some water. And Kallie dear, you can dab this on his forehead when Zevran gets back with the water. When he wakes, his head will likely ache. Keep him warm and let me know when he wakes. I shall cast a numbing spell. It won't eliminate the pain but it will help." Said Wynne. Leliana started to press the cloth into the wound on his shoulder.<p>

"Is he in a lot of pain?" Kallian asked.

Wynne sighed. "I do not know, Kallie, that's why I'm casting this spell."

Kallie nodded her approval and Zevran went to go fetch the water.

Leliana stepped back for a moment and Wynne lifted her hand and began to chant a portion of the Chant of Light, and then her hand began to glow in a blueish mist as she reached over and touched Alistair's forehead, spreading the glow to him. His entire body glowed for a moment, and then when he stopped glowing, he appeared more relaxed, yet very much still unconscious.

For a few minutes he remained looking calm and relaxed, but when Zevran returned with the water, he began to toss and turn again and his brow furrowed. His hair was soaked with sweat. Leliana felt his forehead and shook her head. "His fever is getting worse. Zev, go and fetch Wynne. Zev nearly protested, but the death glare Kalie gave him told him it wasn't the time to argue. He made a hasty exit of the tent.

Kallie dipped the clean cloth into the basin as Leliana began to bandage to wound on his shoulder, and began to dab it on his forehead. Wynne soon appeared in the entrance to the tent, a solemn expression on her face.

"This is wrong." Kallie mused. "It should have been me that beast grabbed. He was protecting me and the others."  
>Wynne found Kallie's shoulder and rested a comforting hand on it.<p>

"This isn't over." Said the mage. "He'll be alright. If he's not awake, but is disturbed in his slumber, it is very possible his spirit is in the Fade."

"I hope not." Said Kallie. "There are so many demons in the Fade." Kallie shuddered at the thought of a demon. She had been trapped in the Fade before, and she knew it wasn't safe. She began to cry.

"Be calm, Kallian. Only a mage can become possessed, and only one with no willpower."

"So they cannot harm Alistair?" asked Leliana who had finished bandaging his wound.

"No, they will still attack him, but that is why I'm going to intervene. I intend to bring him out of the Fade."

"Doesn't that require more than one mage? And Lyrium potions? I'll go fetch Morrigan and find some potions!" Kallie said, calling Morrigan's name. Morrigan slowly entered the tent.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you have Lyrium potions?" Wynne asked. "I have three and I need six."  
>Morrigan nodded.<p>

"I will be back in a moment."

Morrigan left.

" So how will we do this? Asked Kallie, "I wish I could go into the Fade and help him, but something tells me I cannot."

"You are correct. Only a mage can enter the Fade consciously. Others can only enter through a demon or abomination's doing, in their sleep, or when they are knocked unconscious. Were there any emissaries present when he was knocked out?" Wynne asked.

"There was one. It cast a spell, but I don't know what it did. He was weakened for a moment, but then he was alright." Leliana said.

"A curse, just as I thought. The creature sent him there. It would have happened whether or not the ogre wounded him. The next time he went to sleep, even."

Morrigan returned with two apprentices from the allies' camp nearby, and one nervous apprentice asked, "Will you be alright in the Fade, Wynne?"

Wynne nodded. "I will be fine, dear." She raised her voice so that all the mages could hear. "Let us begin the ritual, my friends."

The mages stood in a circle around Wynne, chanting words only they understood. It went on for a few minutes and then Wynne drank a Lyrium potion. Then suddenly the chanting stopped, and Wynne began to flail her arms as if casting a spell. Her eyes stared straight ahead, and it became obvious she was really no longer with them. The mages then went to Wynne's tent to meditate and regain their power, save for Morrigan, who went back to her own tent.

Kallie stayed in Alistair's tent that night, praying to the Maker and the divine Andraste that Alistair and Wynne would survive the journey in the Fade.

"Maker guide Wynne, be her eyes, Andraste and all those divine at the Maker's side protect Alistair and bring him home. Maker preserve my energy, I shall neither eat or sleep until they are safe-"

"Kallie?" Leliana's quiet whisper brought Kallian's prayers to a halt. "Kallian! You have to rest, you are exhausted and you've got so much on your mind."

Kallian shook her head. "I feel responsible for what happened. It's like a flashback of before I was a Warden." A tear trickled down her cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it? You look very much troubled." said the bard.

Kallie sniffled and looked Leliana in the eye. "I don't think I can keep it to myself much longer." She said, and she began to tell her friend about life before she became a Grey Warden.

"So on my wedding day, the Arl's son came to the alienage, claiming he had 'privileges' with the women at the wedding, myself and my cousin's bride included. I took a stand, despite my cousin and would-be husband's warnings. I told the Arl's son to get lost and let us be, but he wouldn't listen and he threatened me in front of all the other elves, so I slapped him. Then, one of his lackeys knocked me out."

She paused, closing her eyes. Leliana placed a hand on her shoulder.

"When I woke up, my friends and my cousin Shianni and my other cousin Soris's bride were at my side. We were locked in one of the back rooms somewhere in his estate. We sat there, frightened, until some of the Arl's son's men came in. One of my friends…she tried to defend herself, but they…they killed her. They took Shianni and the others, and two of the guards, who were quite frightened of me, tried to tie me up. Then Soris appeared in the doorway. He was carrying two swords. He threw me one and we killed the two guards. Then we went to go and find Nelaros, my betrothed. He was very handsome, with tan skin and eyes like the sea after a storm."

Kallian began to sob. There was a long pause, and then she stopped crying and Leliana hugged her close, trying to comfort her. "Thank you. You are a true friend." said Kallie before she continued.

"We went to the hall leading to the Arl's son's…room. It was then that I saw Nelaros. He was fighting two guards…they overpowered him and one of them ran him through with dual swords. He fell to the ground. We…finished off the two guards. I threw myself to the ground beside him, and I will never forget the sight. He was covered in blood, and the carpet floor was stained red. I sat with him for a few moments as his strength deteriorated. I begged him to stay with me. I stayed with him as he left this cruel world, and I sobbed into his shirt when he was gone. When I had cried my fill we went ahead and rescued the other girls, but it was then that I lost the man I loved for the first time. I don't want it to happen a second time."

"I…don't know what to say." Leliana said. "I had a feeling I knew something was going on between you and him but…I was afraid I was wrong."

"You were right!" Kallie sobbed. "I feel the Maker has given me a second chance with love. I don't know what I did to deserve it."

"Oh, Kallian!" Leliana cried. "You do deserve it. I have a feeling Alistair will pull through. They say love is the best medicine. I believe that healing comes from love. Now try to go to sleep. I will bring you a bedroll and you can sleep in here."

"Alright." Kallie finally agreed.

When Leliana returned with the bedroll, Kallie lay down and, finally forcing her eyes away from Alistair and his pained face, she fell asleep. But the moment she fell asleep, little did she know what would occur, let alone that she would end up in another world altogether…

_**TBC**_

**So yeah. So sorry for a long break. Doesn't matter. Nobody seems to like this story anyway. Reviews are always appreciated!**


	4. Dying is Not and Option, Alistair

**Through Love Comes Healing Chapter 4**

**Hint: mystery man is from one of the origin stories**

Kallian's eyes peeked open. All she remembered was feeling very, very dizzy, her head as though it was spinning. The first sensation she got was that of cold, hard stone, and she fluttered her eyelashes so she could see. What Kallian saw were the eerily familiar sights and sounds, though blurry and the sounds muffled, of the Ruins of Ostagar. She spotted someone in the distance, and instinctively grabbed her longsword and the wooden Aegis she had taken off an ogre at Ostagar. She braced herself for a fight and she began to approach with caution.

"Alistair?" said the figure as Kallie got closer. It was Wynne! She couldn't see, even in the Fade!

"Wynne! It's me, Kallian! You have not found Alistair yet. Kallie sheathed her sword, shuddering at even the thought of attacking the motherly figure that Wynne was to her. She carefully placed a hand on the Mage's shoulder.

"Kallie? Thank the Maker you're here!" Wynne exclaimed. "You are dreaming. This isn't really Ostagar, I must warn you. There are demons here and they will prey upon us. They may appear in the forms of people from your past and mine. Be cautious, and trust nobody but yourself." Wynne took her hand. "Please, guide me until we are free of this place."

The senior enchanter and the Grey Warden made their way through what looked frighteningly like Ostagar. Then, she saw it. Kallie laid eyes once again on the platform where she had first met Alistair, who was arguing with an apprentice mage at the time. She spotted him standing on the platform. As they walked closer to the steps of the platform, she could see that he was haggard and deprived of proper rest. _No wonder! _Kallie thought, _he hasn't actually been resting this whole time!_

"Alistair? Is that you?" she spotted another figure, walking towards him. The other figure looked misty, and she knew at once that it was not whatever it was telling Alistair it was.

Alistair whirled around, and he grinned. "Kallie, you won't believe it! It was all a dream I had! We won the battle, Loghain never betrayed Cailan! Duncan's alive!"  
>Kallie frowned.<br>"No! Alistair, it's not him!" she cried, letting go of Wynne's hand and sprinting up onto the platform. She could see the apparition of Duncan, but she had not been in the Fade long enough to believe it.

She hurled herself between the demon and its victim, and she said, fiercely, "You will not have him! You will have to kill me a thousand times before I let you take him."

The demon, whose true voice was revealed, laughed maliciously and stated simply, in a deep, evil tone, "Luckily for me, I only have to kill you once!"

Kallie drew her sword. Duncan was gone, and in his place was a floating Desire Demon, its yellow teeth shining, and it's fiendish eyes glowing like flames in the darkness.

"Not if I can help it!" Alistair lunged forward, sword in hand, and lashed at the demon, but he missed and the demon drifted away from him, allowing him to fall, helpless, onto the ground.

Kallie was angrier than ever now. She planted herself between him and the demon and she threw herself forward, bashing the demon with her shield. It shrieked, and cast a ball of flame that missed Kallie's head by about an inch. Kallie recovered from the dodge, and brought her sword up, cutting one of the fiend's massive horns off. The creature slashed at Kallie again, this time leaving a small cut on her arm, but otherwise Kallie kept fighting. She watched it cautiously as it backed up, preparing another spell, but she was ready for it, and with all her might, she charged the demon, planting her sword between its breasts.

The light in the demon's eyes died out as it shrieked hideously and fell to the ground. Kallie stepped on the entity's belly, pulling out her sword, and severed the thing's horned head. Just as the demon's head was severed, Kallie began to feel the familiar sensation of leaving the Fade.

She opened her eyes when her head stopped spinning. She heard Leliana whispering, "Alistair, wake up. Come on, come on, wake up!"

Kallie looked to the left, where she saw Leliana kneeling at Alistair's side, praying. Kallie sprang up when she had the strength, much to her friend's surprise, and she was at Alistair's side at once. He was stirring, and looked more alive than he had since the fight ended.

She took his hand in both of hers tenderly. "Come on, we need you. _I _need you."

Alistair's eyes fluttered a little, and finally, after a few seconds, they opened.

"Listair!" Kallie cried out, joyous that he was awake.

"Kallian?" he looked about, a little bit dazed still.

"I'm here, Alistair. I won't leave you." She said, not letting go of his hand.

Wynne, who had also returned from the Fade, slowly made her way towards his bedside.

"You are lucky, Alistair. Kallian barely ate or slept the entire time you were out. I believe it was she who saved you, if it weren't for her I would not even have been able to find you."

"I…I saw Duncan, but it wasn't him. It was a demon…Kallie, how did you know?" Alistair said, trying to move his broken arm, but wincing as he felt the pain of the fracture. "Ow! What the-"

"Warden, we have a problem." Sten interrupted, entering the tent.

"Oh, Maker, now what?" Kallie said with a sigh.

"There are armed men outside, and they want to speak with you, now." Said the Qunari. "They don't sound friendly, might I add."


	5. Chains

**Through Love Comes Healing**

**Chapter Five**

**Chains**

**Wow, it's been a while, but this story plays an important role in my fic-world, so I may as well finish it. This is far from the last chapter, though. PLEASE review!**

Upon Kallie's exiting the tent, two armed men were at either side of her, as if escorting her. About two dozen men stood in front of her and around the tent, and her heart sank. Loghain's men.

"_Andraste's ass." _ Kallian muttered. A large man with different armor stood in the center, facing Kallian. She could see a cart behind the men, drawn by two oxen.

"Warden, we are here on behalf of Teyrn Loghain, regent of Queen Anora Mac Tir." Said the large man.

Kallian's eyes narrowed with disgust. "You work for _Loghain?"_ He nodded, and she went off onto a rant. "The Wardens know what really happened, _ser_. Your lord is a Blighted traitor, so to speak! He is responsible for the death of Cailan's army, as well as some of our order, including the senior member, Duncan! They were killed in cold blood, when he quit the field _after_ we Wardens lit the signal, and as was Cailan! Have you no opinions of your own?! " she said the last few sentances heatedly, her hands beginning to quiver, aching to punch.

The head soldier nodded. "I was not there, but the Teyrn would never do such a thing. Killing the King? No honour in that! The Wardens on the other hand, have quite a bit to gain, and there are rumors, you see…"

"And I was just beginning to think not all shem were heartless, vile _creatures. How wrong I was._" She continued to rant.

"My fellow Warden is badly wounded. Surely you are not without something good in your shallow hearts?" Kallian asked resentfully.

The big soldier shrugged. "We have been sent to bring you to Loghain to be tried. He didn't say we had to treat you badly, but I must place you and your fellow Warden under arrest."

Kallian sighed. "We are very outnumbered, soldier. Very well. If you'll give us a moment,"

"Certainly." Said the big soldier. "You have my thanks for coming quietly. You at least have that in your favor." Kallie frowned, nodded and headed back into the tent.

"Loghain's men." She said, her voice faltering. She felt she had failed Alistair after all. Wynne and Leliana gasped. Sten reached for his greatsword, but Kallie stopped him. "I surrendered. There are too many. And there is no need for unnecessary bloodshed."  
>Sten reluctantly put down his sword. "As you wish." He said.<p>

Alistair was still in his bedroll, eyes staring off into space, his good hand stroking Menace's hand, the mabari lying faithfully at his side. Not moving at all he said, "It's me Loghain wants. That's why they've come." Kallie approached him, the mabari moving aside respectfully.

"I won't let Loghain hurt you. I promise."

Alistair shook his head. "He wants to eliminate the threat to the throne. You aren't really a threat unless you are my friend, which you are. But…with my lineage, he'll want me dead so the Landsmeet _has_ to give him the throne."

"He won't have his way, I swear it." Kallie said, not thinking she'd sounded as convincing as she'd hoped to sound.

"But not only do I not want to die, I also don't want to be King! That's why this is a bad time to get arrested, if ever there's a good time!" he said, getting increasingly excited with every word. "We needed to get Arl Eamon. He'd make a better king than me!" Alisatir's breath became labored and kallie steadied his feverish, quivering body gently with her hands.

"You need to relax, Alistair, you need to breathe…breathe! It's going to be alright, everything is going to be alright!" She hugged him close to her and stroked the back of his head. He calmed down after a few moments.

"If we're going quietly, we might not want to delay much longer."

Kallie nodded. "Are you sure you're ready?"

"I'm ready…" he sighed. "Let's not keep them waiting."  
>Kallie retrieved a canteen with water in it and she gave it to Alistair. She offered him her arm and he took it, pulling himself up out of the bedroll. Slowly, and with Kallian's help, Alistair made it to the exit of the tent. He stumbled a few times, but they made it. Menace snarled and followed them outside, Kallie turned her head. "You be a good boy and listen to Leliana and the others, alright?"<p>

The dog whined, but Kallie scratched his head affectionately and whispered so only he and Alistair could hear, "Don't worry, boy, we'll be back."

The mabari reluctantly returned to the tent.

"We are ready." Kallie said bravely.

The big soldier nodded, even with a bit of sympathy in his eyes. "Soldiers, take the Wardens into custody."

Kallie and Alistair said nothing and complied with having their hands shackled in front of them, the manacles connected each by a small chain.

"Kallie remarked angrily. " I don't see why Alistair needs those. Even if he tried he could not run with his injuries. He shouldn't even be standing, let alone travelling to Denerim!"  
>"Redcliffe, actually." Said the soldier who'd shackled them. "The Teyrn is staying there right now, and that's where we're taking you."<p>

"Redcliffe?" Kallie said loudly, so those in the tent could hear. She winked at Alistair when the men weren't looking her way. "We were headed there to speak to him, actually."

"Afraid you won't get the chance." Said the big soldier. " Normally you could request an audience, but the Arl has been deathly ill for weeks now."

"What?" Alistair's expression became even more grim than it had been. "How could that be?"

The head soldier shrugged. "Don't know the details. I'm just Cauthrien's second in command. I don't pay much attention to that kind of stuff. Anyhow, we'd best be off. Move out!"


	6. Jowan

**Through Love Comes Healing**

**Chapter 6**

**Jowan**

At their leader's command, and with the two unhappy Wardens in tow, the soldiers began to leave the campsite. Alistair, despite the chains that now bound both their wrists, clung to kallie's arm in a protective way, despite the fact he was weak and injured badly.

Kallie did not mind. It was cold, and he was the only warmth and light that she had. He brought out her soft side, for if it hadn't been for his weakened state she would not have come nearly as quietly as she had. She had done this to protect him, but only time would tell what her intention would lead to.

The soldiers made camp in a clearing not far from Redcliffe. The Wardens were allowed a little more freedom, each having only one hand shackled loosely to the cart. There they sat huddled together covered with the small blanket they'd been given.

Since only one hand was chained, Kallie put her free arm around Alistair and he would have done the same, but his unbroken arm was chained. She clung to him, and began to weep. "I've failed you, Alistair."

"Hey, you saved my life! For better or for worse I am glad to remain at your side." He tried to console her but she continued to cry until her sobs softened into quiet whimpers and then stopped altogether. Her eyes shut and she drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep. Alisatir sighed, knowing little of what was to occur in the days to come.

He soon joined her restless sleep.

They awoke only moments before their captors, and each were given some bread and water.

After eating the bread and drinking the water, the two Wardens sat in the cart as the oxen and foot soldiers plodded on until they finally reached Redcliffe's courtyard.

A Redcliffe guiard met them at the gates.

"Hail, ser Knight. I see you have Teyrn Loghain's coat of arms. Must be important business. In you go." The guard ushered them quickly in, closing the gate behind them.

The head soldier turned around in the cart to face Kallian and Alistair. "The Teyrn will hear of your cooperation, Wardens. You have my thanks, and my respect."

With that, the big soldier was gone, and they were left with four of the soldiers.

Their chains were unfastened, and they were led to Redcliffe's dungeons.

The guards were quick to open the first cell, and the Wardens were unshackled and left to themselves in their prison. But Kallie soon realized they weren't alone.

Another prisoner lay at the back of the cell, facing the wall. The poor, scrawny figure lay quivering but otherwise still.

"Alistair, wait here. Seems we've got company." Kallie whispered into Alistair's ear. He nodded, and lay on the only cot in the cell, resting his pounding head.

Kallie crouched and crawled over to where the other prisoner lay. As she got closer, the man became more and more tense. When she reached him he began to whimper. His hands and feet were bound, as was his mouth, explaining why he had not spoken or moved. He was a young man, no older than in his early twenties. His raven black hair was greasy and unkempt, and he had thick, unshaven stubble on his face. His grey eyes shone brightly in the poorly lit cell, a pleading look about them.

Kallie gently reached over and unbound his mouth, letting the cloth fall to the ground, useless. He was still and silent, waiting for her to make the next move, she guessed.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"My…my name?" stuttered the prisoner in an unsure voice.

"Surely you have one, no?" she asked.

"It…it's Jowan." He muttered. It was clear he had not spoken in a long time, and that he was very fearful.

"My name is Kallian." She tried to smile assuringly. "I'm here because I'm a Grey Warden." She put a hand on his quivering shoulder too soon, and he winced as if she had just hit him.

"Easy, Jowan. I won't hurt you. Here, I can untie you if you wish."

He shook his head. "If you do you'll want something in return." Kallie frowned and shook her head. She leaned in closer to him and said, "I can get you out of here."

"I thought you were a prisoner as well." He said.

"I am, but something tells me we won't be for long. I will not allow another being, man nor beast, to suffer as you have, criminal or no. No matter why you're here, I don't stand for torture."

She was convinced he had been. His torn mage robes, beaten body, bruised face, and fearful, distrustful disposition gave it away.

He sighed, his breath labored, and appeared to relax a little. "If only the Arlessa's views were the same as yours. She wants me to cure the Arl because I am…slightly responsible for what happened. But I don't know how to reverse it! So she had me tortured, as you can plainly see. There was nothing I could say or do to appease her. When I could not help, she threw me in here to rot. The guards are…often drinking too much, and I have to suffer for it."

"Whoa, now! _You _are responsible? How's that?" Kallie said, raising an eyebrow.

"Loghain said I would be turned in to the Circle if I didn't get the Arl out of his way. I didn't want to kill him, so I used a coma-inducing plant to poison him instead. I don't know the antidote, I swear!" he winced again as he said the last words, and Kallie assumed he thought she was going to hit him. Instead of striking him like his captors may have, Kallie put a hand on his shoulder again. 

"I will not hurt you, Jowan, I promise." Kallie said reassuringly. To try and gain his trust, Kallie began to undo the tight bindings on his wrists and ankles, once sure he was harmless. "See? I'm here to help."

"If you truly are, I beg of you to tell the jailer not to…take me…today. Please." He pleaded.

Kallian nodded. "I'll try. She said." When Jowan's hands and feet were free, he turned slowly to face Kallie. Their eyes met. "Thank you." He said, relaxing a moderate deal.

"So let me get this straight. You're an apostate mage?" Kallie asked.

He nodded reluctantly. "With good reasoning, I suppose. The circle frowns upon me because I'm…a blood mage. A maleificar. If Loghain had sent me back, I would have been killed, or worse, made into one of the mindless creatures that are the Tranquil."

"Maker." Kallian muttered. Alistair rose from where he lay suddenly. "Alistair, you shouldn't get up so fast!"

"You cannot trust him! He's a blood mage, and may be possessed. I would know, I almost became a Templar!" Alistair frowned and hesitated. "This man must die. Listen to nothing he says, Kallie." With that, Alistair picked up a large rock with his good hand. Kallie was quick to stop him. Jowan was cowering, one hand over his head.

"Look at him." Kallie said, trying to speak reason. Alistair shook his head.

"Corrupted evil, Kallian."

"_Look at him!_" Kallie repeated. "_Does he look dangerous to you?_"

Alistair put the rock down. "I…suppose not now, but…."

"No." Kallie answered her own question. "Back to your cot, now. Go."

Alistair reluctantly obeyed. "There's no need to kill. In this dungeon, we're all the same, blood mage or no. We must support each other and look out for one another if we're going to get out. Alistair, you need to calm down. I swear, I'm five years younger than you and I'm the sane one here." She said, referring to Alistair's age.

"Maker, Kallie. You're only nineteen?" he said, his jaw dropping.

Kallian nodded casually, her demeanor dismissing further questioning. " I want both of you to get some rest, while I keep watch."


End file.
